Packages and methods for packaging

ABSTRACT

Packaged integrated devices and methods of forming the same are provided. In one embodiment, a packaged integrated device includes a package substrate, a package lid, and an integrated circuit or microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device. The package lid is mounted to a first surface of the package substrate using an epoxy, and the package lid and the package substrate define a package interior. The package lid includes an interior coating suited to good adhesion with the epoxy, and an exterior coating suited to RF shielding, where the materials of the interior and exterior coatings are different. In one example, the interior lid coating is nickel whereas the exterior lid coating is tin.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 13/299,129, filed on Nov. 17, 2011, which isa non-provisional of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/415,779,filed on Nov. 19, 2010, both entitled “PACKAGES AND METHODS FORPACKAGING,” the entire contents of each of which is hereby incorporatedby reference herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present application relates to integrated device packages andmethods for packaging the same.

2. Description of the Related Art

Integrated devices, such as integrated circuit (IC) devices ormicroelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices, are often secured withina package for a variety of reasons, including, for example, protectionfrom the environment, radio frequency (RF) shielding, and/or to aid inconnecting the devices to a larger circuit. The packaged integrateddevices can include a package lid mounted to a package substrate.Depending upon the environment of use, the package should also bedurable and withstand impact.

There is a need for improved packaging of integrated devices, includingimproved RF shielding.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one embodiment, a packaged integrated device comprises a packagesubstrate, a package lid, and an integrated device die. The package lidis attached to the package substrate using an adhesive, and the packagelid and the package substrate can define a package interior. The packagelid includes a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer and acore disposed between the first and second conductive layers. The firstand second conductive layers comprise different materials. The firstconductive layer defines a first surface of the package lid facing thepackage interior, and the second conductive layer defines a secondsurface of the package lid opposite the first surface. A portion of thefirst conductive layer contacts the adhesive. The integrated device dieis mounted within the package interior.

In another embodiment, a lid for an integrated circuit or MEMS packageincludes a core material shaped to define an interior core surface andan exterior core surface. A tin (Sn) coating is on the exterior coresurface. A nickel (Ni) coating is on at least a portion of the interiorcore surface and forms an interface surface of the lid configured forattaching to a package substrate.

In another embodiment, a method of packaging an integrated devicecomprises providing a lid. The lid comprises a lid core having an innersurface and an outer surface, a first conductive layer covering at leasta portion of the inner surface of the lid core, and a second conductivelayer covering at least a portion of the outer surface of the lid core.The first and second conductive layers comprise different materials

For purposes of summarizing the invention and the advantages achievedover the prior art, certain objects and advantages of the invention havebeen described herein above. Of course, it is to be understood that notnecessarily all such objects or advantages may be achieved in accordancewith any particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, for example,those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention may beembodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes oneadvantage or group of advantages as taught or suggested herein withoutnecessarily achieving other objects or advantages as may be taught orsuggested herein.

All of these embodiments are intended to be within the scope of theinvention herein disclosed. These and other embodiments will becomereadily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detaileddescription of the preferred embodiments having reference to theattached figures, the invention not being limited to any particularpreferred embodiment(s) disclosed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These aspects and others will be apparent from the following descriptionof preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawing, which is meant toillustrate and not to limit the invention, wherein:

FIG. 1A is a schematic cross-section of a packaged integrated deviceaccording to one embodiment.

FIG. 1B is a schematic cross-section of a packaged MEMS microphonedevice and processing integrated circuit according to anotherembodiment.

FIGS. 2A-2E are schematic cross-sections illustrating manufacturingprocesses for package lids according to various embodiments.

FIG. 3A is a top plan view of a packaged integrated device according toone embodiment.

FIG. 3B is a cross-section of the packaged integrated device taken alongthe lines 3B-3B of FIG. 3A.

FIG. 4A is a top plan view of a packaged integrated device according toanother embodiment.

FIG. 4B is a cross-section of the packaged integrated device taken alongthe lines 4B-4B of FIG. 4A.

FIG. 4C is a cross-section of the packaged integrated device taken alongthe lines 4C-4C of FIG. 4A.

FIG. 5 is an example flowchart illustrating a process for packaging anintegrated device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Packaged integrated devices and methods of packaging the same will bedescribed while referring to the accompanying drawings. The drawings areschematic and not to scale.

Packaged Integrated Devices

It can be desirable to improve a packaged integrated device, such as apackaged microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) microphone die, byincreasing the strength of adhesion of a package lid to a packagesubstrate. Package lids are sometimes desirable in packaged integrateddevices to protect the die from external environmental factors, whichmay include unwanted particles or contamination, undesirableelectromagnetic radiation, moisture, and/or any other external elementsthat may damage the die or other package components. Adhesives likeepoxy may be advantageous when bonding a lid to a package substratebecause high temperature soldering processes and attendant contaminationissues can be avoided. Yet there is a tendency for such adhesives todemonstrate reduced reliability, particularly upon impact with externalcomponents or upon experiencing other external forces. Increasing theadhesion strength of the package lid to the package substrate canimprove drop test performance and aid in providing a more mechanicallyrobust packaged integrated device.

At the same time, it can be desirable to improve the radio frequency(RF) shielding of a packaged integrated device to improve operationalperformance of the device and to increase isolation of the device fromelectromagnetic radiation. Electromagnetic radiation, including RFwaves, may be undesirable in integrated packages because it mayinterfere with device performance at particular frequencies. Forexample, when the packaged integrated device includes a MEMS microphonedie, improved RF shielding can reduce microphone noise by shielding themicrophone die from environmental RF noise. Other types of devices canalso benefit from RF shielding. In some embodiments, a conductive lidsubstantially encloses the integrated device and is electricallyconnected to ground. The grounded lid may thereby shield the die fromundesired electromagnetic interference. Thus, there is a need forpackaged integrated devices having both improved lid adhesion with thepackage substrate and enhanced RF shielding.

FIG. 1A is a schematic cross-section of a packaged integrated device 1according to one embodiment. The packaged integrated device 1 includes apackage lid 11 and a package substrate 12, collectively referred to asthe package housing. The packaged integrated device 1 further includesan integrated device die 2 disposed on a surface of the packagesubstrate 12. The integrated device die 2 can be, for example, amicroelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device, including withoutlimitation a MEMS microphone. The integrated device die 2 could also beany other type of MEMS device, such as a pressure sensor, accelerometer,motion detector, optical sensor, or any other suitable MEMS device.Moreover, in some embodiments, the integrated device die 2 can be anysuitable integrated circuit (IC) device. In some embodiments, theintegrated device die may include any type of microphone device,including those that are not implemented as a MEMS system. Such non-MEMSmicrophones include electret condenser microphones (ECM), condensermicrophones, and piezoelectric microphones.

The package substrate 12 can be configured to electrically connect thepackage 1 to a larger electronic device, such as through a printedcircuit board (motherboard) and/or any other suitable electricalapparatus. The package substrate 12 can include, for example, one ormore power, communication or ground leads, such as the illustratedexternal leads 3. As is known in the art, the package substrate 12includes contact pads (shown connected by wirebonding to the integrateddevice die 2), surface traces, and buried interconnects and/or throughvias that electrically connect the integrated device die 2 to the leads3. The package substrate 12 can be formed from a variety of materials,including, for example, a ceramic package material or a printed circuitboard (PCB) material, which may comprise FR-4 board and a metal such ascopper. The package substrate 12 may also be a molded leadframe package,including a metal leadframe embedded in plastic, such as liquid crystalpolymer (LCP).

The package lid 11 may be a multi-layer lid formed using a plurality ofmaterials. The package lid 11 can include a first conductive layer 11 a,a core 11 b, and a second conductive layer 11 c. Note that the packagelid 11 in the illustrated embodiments is not necessarily drawn to scale.The core 11 b can be significantly thicker than the layers 11 a and 11 cin some embodiments, and can provide structural rigidity to the lid 11.As shown in FIG. 1A, the package lid 11 can be mounted to a surface ofthe package substrate 12 to define a package interior 17. In someembodiments, the package interior 17 may define an air cavity. Forinstance, in MEMS microphone dies, sound waves may propagate through airwithin the package interior 17. In still other embodiments, the packageinterior 17 may be filled with a molding material, such as a plastic orother suitable material.

In the illustrated embodiment, the first conductive layer 11 a isdisposed on at least a portion of an interior surface of the core 11 b.The first conductive layer 11 a can thereby define part or all of aninterior surface 18 of the lid 11. The first conductive layer 11 adefines at least an interface surface portion 30 of the interior surface18. In some embodiments, the first conductive layer 11 a can be disposedon all or substantially all of the interior surface of the core 11 b andthus define the entire interior surface 18 of the lid 11, as shown. Inother embodiments, the first conductive layer 11 a may only be disposedon a portion of the interior surface of the core 11 b to form theinterface portion 30. The majority of the interior surface 18 faces thepackage interior 17, although after mounting, the interface surfaceportion 30 faces the package substrate 12 on which it is mounted. Thesecond conductive layer 11 c is disposed on an exterior surface of thecore 11 b to form exterior surface 19 of the lid 11 opposite theinterior surface 18. The core 11 b is disposed between the firstconductive layer 11 a and the second conductive layer 11 c.

In some embodiments, the package lid 11 can be attached to the packagesubstrate 12 using an adhesive 23. The adhesive 23 can be an organicmaterial, particularly an epoxy, such as the epoxy sold under the tradename CE-3920 by Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, which is headquartered inDusseldorf, Germany. In some embodiments, the epoxy is electricallyconductive, so as to provide an electrical connection between the lid 11and metallic traces within or on the package substrate 12. A portion ofthe first conductive layer 11 a contacts the adhesive 23. As will bedescribed in further detail below, the first conductive layer 11 a canbe selected to aid in improving the strength of the bond formed betweenthe package lid 11 and the package substrate 12 using the adhesive 23.Thus, employing the first conductive layer 11 a can improve adhesion ofthe package lid 11 to the package substrate 12 relative to a packagedesign omitting the first conductive layer 11 a in favor of connectingthe core 11 b to the package substrate 12 by way of the adhesive. Usingthe first conductive layer 11 a can also improve adhesion relative toconnecting the material of the second conductive layer 11 c to thepackage substrate 12 by way of the adhesive.

The first conductive layer 11 a can comprise a variety of materials thatprovide good adhesion to the adhesive (particularly epoxy), such asnickel (Ni), gold (Au), silver (Ag) and/or copper (Cu). In oneembodiment, the first conductive layer 11 a is selected to be a materialwith a melting temperature greater than about 260° C. In thisembodiment, the high melting temperature aids in providing robust lidattachment when using a solder reflow process to attach the packagesubstrate 12 to a printed circuit board (i.e., during board mounting) orother electrical apparatus.

To aid in providing electrical connectivity, radio frequency (RF)shielding, and/or to reduce static charge build-up, the package lid 11can be electrically connected to the package substrate 12. For example,the package lid 11 can be electrically grounded by attaching the packagelid 11 to a trace of the package substrate 12 electrically coupled toone of the external leads 3 that is connected to ground. To reduce theimpedance between the package lid 11 and the package substrate 12, thefirst conductive layer 11 a can have a relatively low contactresistance. In one embodiment, the first conductive layer 11 a has acontact resistance with a conductive trace that is less than about 1 mΩper 1.6 cm². Additionally, in this embodiment it is desirable to mountthe lid 11 via a conductive epoxy.

The core 11 b can be a variety of materials, including, for example,stainless steel, copper (Cu) and/or aluminum (Al). The core 11 b canalso include any suitable plastic, including, for example, a liquidcrystal polymer (LCP). Although the core 11 b is illustrated as a singlelayer in FIG. 1A, the core 11 b can include a plurality of layers. Thecore 11 b can provide structural rigidity to the lid 11 to aid inachieving a desired mechanical strength. The thickness of the core 11 bcan be greater than that of the first and second conductive layers 11 a,11 c. For example, as will be described in detail below with respect toFIGS. 2A-2E, the core 11 b can be shaped to define an interior surfaceand an exterior surface, and the conductive layers 11 a, 11 c can beprovided as coatings on the core 11 b. In the illustrated embodiment,the lid is shaped with a concavity to define the package cavity withinwhich the integrated device die 2 is mounted; in other arrangements, thecavity can be defined by other features (e.g., relief in the mountingsubstrate, a molded plastic substrate, etc.), and the lid can be shapedto be planar. For example, a planar lid can be shaped to indirectlyattach to a package substrate by way of a mounting structure coupled tothe package substrate. In some embodiments, the mounting structure canform an annulus on the package substrate, with the interior of theannulus defining a cavity. The planar lid can then be mounted to theannular mounting structure and over the cavity.

The second conductive layer 11 c can define part or all of the exteriorsurface 19 of the package lid 11, and can be used to improve radiofrequency (RF) shielding of the packaged integrated device 1. Forexample, the second conductive layer 11 c can have a composition andthickness selected to obtain a maximum of about −70 dB ofelectromagnetic radiation interference for an RF signal having afrequency ranging between about 0.8 GHz to about 3 GHz. The secondconductive layer 11 c can comprise any of a variety of materials, suchas tin (Sn), silver (Ag), gold (Au), and/or copper (Cu). In oneembodiment, the maximum RF conductance of the second conductive layer 11c is less than about 50 Siemen-squares for electromagnetic interferenceat a frequency of less than about 0.8 GHz, and the maximum RFconductance is less than about 20 Siemen-squares for electromagneticinterference at a frequency of about 3.0 GHz.

To aid in providing enhanced RF shielding, the second conductive layer11 c can have a relatively low relative permeability and a relativelylow bulk resistivity. In one embodiment, the second conductive layer 11c has a bulk resistivity of less than about 0.1 μΩ-m and a relativepermeability of approximately 1.

In one example, the interior surface 18, and particularly the interfacesurface 30 thereof, can be defined by a nickel (Ni) coating while theexterior surface 19 can be defined by a tin (Sn) coating. In thisexample, the first conductive layer 11 a may be formed of Ni, while thesecond conductive layer 11 c may be formed of Sn. In other embodiments,however, both the interior and exterior surfaces of the core 11 b may becoated with Ni, while the exterior surface can additionally be formedwith Sn.

FIG. 1B is a cross-section of a packaged MEMS microphone device 10according to one embodiment. The packaged MEMS microphone device 10includes a package substrate 12, a package lid 11, a MEMS microphone die28, and an integrated circuit die 21.

As shown in FIG. 1B, the package lid 11 is secured to the packagesubstrate 12 using the adhesive 23, and the package lid 11 and thepackage substrate 12 define a package interior 17. The package lid 11has an interior surface 18 and an exterior surface 19.

The package substrate 12 can comprise ceramic package material or aprinted circuit board (PCB) material, such as alternating layers of FR-4board and copper. The package substrate 12 can include ground, power andsignal leads 3 for electrically communicating with a printed circuitboard or other apparatus. The package substrate 12 can also include asound channel or port 13, which forms a passage through the packagesubstrate 12, thereby allowing ingress of audio signals from a packageexterior to the package interior 17.

The MEMS microphone die 28 can be mounted onto the package substrate 12over the sound port 13. For example, a microphone die adhesive 20, suchas a conductive or nonconductive epoxy, can be used to mount the MEMSmicrophone die 28 over the sound port 13. The packaged MEMS microphonedevice 10 can also include the integrated circuit die 21, which can bemounted on the package substrate 12 using an integrated circuit dieadhesive 22, which can be implemented by using the same or a differentmaterial as the microphone die adhesive 20. Alternatively, the IC die 21can be flip-chip mounted, e.g., by way of solder balls. The integratedcircuit die 21 can be used to process data from the MEMS microphone die28, and in some embodiments it is an application specific integratedcircuit (ASIC). Skilled artisans will appreciate that in someembodiments, the integrated circuit die 21 need not be included and thatthe MEMS microphone die 28 can be mounted within the package interior 17in other locations, including, for example, on the package lid 11.Additionally, although the packaged MEMS microphone device isillustrated as including the sound port 13 in the package substrate 12,the sound port 13 can be provided in other locations, such as on thepackage lid 11 for a top port microphone package.

With continuing reference to FIG. 1B, the illustrated MEMS microphonedie 28 includes a die cavity 24, a movable membrane 27, and a backplate25. During operation of the microphone, audio signals can reach a firstside of the movable membrane 27, and the movable membrane 27 can bedeflected by a pressure difference between the first, and a second,opposing side of the membrane. The backplate 25 can be fixed and can beseparated from the movable membrane 27 by a gap, and therefore can servein conjunction with the movable membrane 27 to form electrodes of avariable capacitor that can be configured to detect audio signals. Inthe illustrated configuration, the backplate 25 includes backplateapertures 26, which allow the membrane 27 to communicate with the diecavity 24. Audio signals can cause the movable membrane 27 to vibraterelative to the fixed backplate 25, thereby producing a changingcapacitance. In other arrangements, sound can reach the movable membranefrom the opposite side, and backplate apertures can be omitted, or canbe provided simply to to reduce pressure resistance to membranevibrations. The MEMS microphone die 28 can be formed, for example, usinga silicon or silicon on insulator (SOI) wafer.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1B, microphone die leads 36 areconnected to package substrate traces 37 or bonding pads so that theMEMS microphone die 28 can communicate electrical signals that can befurther processed and used by external circuitry (e.g. a mobile phonedevice). Similarly, the illustrated integrated circuit die 21 maycommunicate with other devices using integrated circuit die leads 38connected to other substrate traces 39. Although the illustratedintegrated circuit die 21 is shown as wirebonded, persons of ordinaryskill in the art will recognize that the integrated circuit die 21 couldbe connected in other ways. For example, solder bumps could be depositedonto chip pads on the top side of the integrated circuit die 21, andafter flipping the die upside down and aligning the chip pads tomatching pads on the package substrate 12, the solder could be flowed soas to interconnect the die and the substrate. Other methods ofinterconnecting chips to package substrates include the use ofanisotropic conductive filler (ACF), as will be appreciated by theperson of ordinary skill in the art.

As with the packaged device 1 of FIG. 1A, for packaged MEMS microphonedevices 10, it may be desirable to increase the adhesive strength of thebond between the lid 11 and the package substrate 12. In someembodiments, the lid 11 may be attached to the package substrate 12 byusing an adhesive 23. The adhesive 23 may be similar to that describedabove with respect to the embodiment of FIG. 1A, and the adhesive 23 maycomprise a conductive epoxy material. The lid 11 may comprise a firstconductive layer 11 a, a core layer 11 b, and a second conductive layer11 c. As with FIG. 1A, the first conductive layer 11 a can be selectedto aid in improving the strength of the bond formed between the packagelid 11 and the package substrate 12 using the adhesive 23. To improveadhesion, the first conductive layer 11 a may be formed on at least partof the interior surface of the lid core 11 b to define all or part of aninterior surface 18 of the lid 11. The first conductive layer 11 adefines at least an interface surface 30 facing the package substrate.The first conductive layer 11 a may be formed of any suitable conductivematerial, including the materials listed above with respect to FIG. 1A.In some embodiments, the first conductive layer 11 a may be formed of anickel layer. The core layer 11 b may also be formed of materialsdescribed above with respect to FIG. 1A.

In MEMS microphone devices, electromagnetic or RF interference mayintroduce undesirable noise into the microphone signals. RF shieldingmay therefore be an important objective in MEMS microphone design toensure a clear output microphone signal. RF shielding is important forpackaging other types of devices as well. As with FIG. 1A, the secondconductive layer 11 c of FIG. 1B can define part or all of the exteriorsurface 19 of the lid 11, and the second conductive layer 11 c isselected to improve RF shielding. In some aspects, the second conductivelayer 11 c can be formed of a tin (Sn) layer. Thus, the adhesion of thelid 11 to the package substrate 12 can be improved and RF interferencecan be reduced by selecting the first conductive layer 11 a to improveadhesion to the package substrate 12 (by way of the adhesive 23) and byselecting the second conductive layer 11 c to reduce RF interference.

FIGS. 2A-2E are cross-sections illustrating manufacturing processes forpackage lids 11 according to various embodiments.

In FIG. 2A, a core 11 b has been provided. The core 11 b can comprisefor example, stainless steel, copper (Cu) and/or aluminum (Al). The core11 b can also include any suitable plastic, including, for example, aliquid crystal polymer (LCP). As was described above, the core 11 b canbe selected to provide structurally rigidity to a package lid. As notedabove, while the lid can be planar, as shown, in some embodiments thelid is shaped three-dimensionally to define a concavity. The lid can beshaped as desired before or after the coating steps described withrespect to FIGS. 2A-2E.

In FIG. 2B, the core 11 b has been plated with a first conductivecoating 11 a on a plurality of sides and major surfaces. The firstconductive coating 11 a can be provided using, for example, any suitableplating process, such as electroplating. Although not illustrated inFIG. 2B, a seed layer can be provided using, for example, a sputterprocess, before forming the first conductive coating 11 a. Employing aseed layer can be useful in a variety of circumstances, particularlywhen the core 11 b is non-conductive, e.g., a plastic. If employed, theseed layer can be considered part of the core 11 b in the resultantproduct.

As was described above, the first conductive layer or coating 11 a cancomprise a material suitable for improving the attachment strength ofthe package lid to a package substrate when using an adhesive likeepoxy. Thus, employing the first conductive coating 11 a can improveadhesion of the package lid 11 to the package substrate 12 relative to apackage design that directly mounts the core 11 b to a packagesubstrate. In one embodiment, the first conductive coating 11 acomprises nickel (Ni). However, the first conductive coating 11 a can beformed from other materials as described above.

FIG. 2C illustrates forming a second conductive layer or coating 11 c onone surface of the partially fabricated package lid of FIG. 2B. For theRF shielding applications mentioned above, the coating 11 c can definethe exterior surface 19 of the lid that will face the exterior of thecompleted package. Forming the second conductive coating 11 c caninclude masking one or more surfaces and sides 29 of the partiallyfabricated package lid of FIG. 2B, including the surface 18 that willface the interior of the completed package. The second conductivecoating 11 c can then be plated, and the masking layer removed. However,skilled artisans will appreciate that the second conductive coating 11 ccan be selectively formed on the exterior of the lid in other ways. Inthe illustrated embodiment, due to selective coating, while the firstconductive coating 11 a is initially formed on all sides and surfaces ofthe lid core material 11 b, in the finished lid the first conductivecoating 11 a is exposed on the interior surface 18 while the secondconductive coating is exposed on the exterior surface 19 of the lid. Insome embodiments, masking can be provided by a tape layer, but one ofskill in the art would recognize that any other suitable maskingmaterials or apparatuses could be used to mask surfaces of the lidduring selective coating.

The second conductive coating 11 c can be used to provide radiofrequency (RF) shielding for a packaged integrated device, such as thoseillustrated in FIGS. 1A-1B. The second conductive coating 11 c cancomprise tin (Sn) or other suitable material, as described above.

Including both the first conductive coating 11 a and the secondconductive coating 11 b can improve the performance of a packagedintegrated device relative to a design which employs neither or only oneof the first and second conductive coatings 11 a, 11 c. For example, thefirst conductive coating 11 a can be selected to improve lid attachmentstrength and can have an attachment strength to the adhesive (such as anepoxy) which is greater than that of the second conductive coating 11 c.Additionally, the second conductive coating 11 c can be selected toenhance RF shielding provided by the package lid, and can have a RFconductivity less than that of the first conductive layer 11 a. Thus, byemploying the first and second conductive coatings 11 a, 11 c, exposedon different surfaces of the lid, the performance of the package lid canbe improved.

The coating steps can be conducted efficiently on sheet material (e.g.,sheet metal) that forms the lid core 11 b, and the package lid 11 ofFIG. 2C can be subsequently stamped, sawed, etched and/or otherwisethree-dimensionally shaped to form a package lid similar to thoseillustrated in FIGS. 1A-1B. However, the package lid 11 of FIG. 2C neednot be three-dimensionally shaped, and can be employed in an integrateddevice package having a cavity predefined by the remainder of thepackaging material, e.g., in an etched package substrate. For example,an integrated device can be mounted in the cavity of the etched packagesubstrate, and a substantially flat package lid can be mounted over theetched package substrate using an epoxy. Alternatively, as noted above,the core material can be three-dimensionally shaped prior to coating.

FIG. 2D illustrates a package lid according to another embodiment. Thepackage lid 11 of FIG. 2D is similar to that of FIG. 2C, except that thesecond conductive coating 11 c has been provided over a plurality ofsides and major surfaces of the core 11 b, and the first conductivecoating 11 a has been provided on one surface of the second conductivecoating 11 c. Skilled artisans will appreciate that the package lid ofFIG. 2D can be fabricated in a manner similar to that described above.The package lid of FIG. 2D can be subsequently stamped and/or diced asdescribed above, and can be shaped to define a package cavity oremployed without three-dimensional shaping in a packaged integrateddevice having a cavity predefined by the package substrate. The firstconductive coating 11 a can define the surface 18 that will face theinterior of the completed package, while the second conductive coating11 c can define the surface 19 that will face the exterior of thecompleted package. Of course, a person skilled in the art wouldrecognize that for various applications, the ordering of layers may bedifferent, and a variety of suitable conductive materials, as describedabove, can be used for the coating layers 11 a and 11 c.

FIG. 2E illustrates a package lid 11 according to another embodiment. Asshown, the package lid 11 includes a core 11 b having a first conductivecoating 11 a formed on a first surface of the core 11 b, and a secondconductive coating 11 c formed on a second surface of the core 11 bopposite the first surface. The package lid 11 of FIG. 2E can be formedusing any suitable process. For example, the second surface of the core11 b can be masked, and an electroplating process can be used to formthe first conductive coating 11 a on the first surface of the core 11 b.Thereafter, the mask can be removed, and a mask can be provided over thefirst conductive coating 11 a. An electroplating process can then beused to form the second conductive coating 11 c, and the mask cansubsequently be removed to form the package lid 11 of FIG. 2E. Skilledartisans will appreciate that the package lid 11 of FIG. 2E can beformed in a variety of alternate ways, and the coating application maybe performed in a variety of sequences. While the side edges 29 areshown uncoated, they could be coated by either or both coatings 11 a, 11c.

FIG. 3A is a top plan view of a packaged integrated device 50 accordingto one embodiment. FIG. 3B is a cross-section of the packaged integrateddevice 50 taken along the lines 3B-3B. The packaged integrated device 50includes a lid 11 and a package substrate 12. As illustrated, thepackage lid 11 can be mounted onto a conductive trace 14 of the packagesubstrate 12 using an adhesive 23, particularly an epoxy (which may beelectrically conductive). The conductive trace 14 can be electricallyconnected using a via 16 to another conductive trace 15 or contact padon an opposite surface of the package substrate 12. The conductive trace15 or contact pad can be electrically connected to one of the leads 3that is connected to ground to aid in grounding the package lid 11. Abonding layer 32, which can be a nonconductive layer for example, can bedisposed between conductive traces 14 and 15.

The illustrated package lid 11 includes an interior surface 18 and anexterior surface 19. The first conductive layer 11 a defines part or allof the interior surface 18 and the second conductive layer 11 c definespart or all of the exterior surface 19. The interior surface 18 caninclude an interface surface 30 defining a portion of the firstconductive layer 11 a mounted to the package substrate 12 using theadhesive 23. The interface surface 30 may be defined on a lip portion 31of the lid 11, extending outwardly at the perimeter of the lid 11.Additional details of the integrated package device 50 can be similar tothose described above. Particularly, the first conductive layer 11 a(e.g., Ni) can be selected to improve adhesion by way of the epoxyadhesive 23, whereas the second conductive layer 11 c (e.g., Sn) can beselected for enhanced RF shielding.

FIG. 4A is a top plan view of a packaged integrated device 60 accordingto another embodiment. FIG. 4B is a cross-section of the packagedintegrated device 60 taken along the lines 4B-4B. FIG. 4C is across-section of the packaged integrated device 60 taken along the lines4C-4C. The packaged integrated device 60 includes a package lid 11 and apackage substrate 12. As described above, the lid 11 of FIGS. 4A-4Ccomprises the first conductive layer 11 a and the second conductivelayer 11 c, in addition to the core 11 b. As above, the first conductivelayer 11 a can be selected to improve adhesion between the lid 11 andthe adhesive 23 for attachment to the package substrate 12. The secondconductive layer 11 c can be selected to enhance RF shielding for thepackaged integrated device 60. The first conductive layer 11 a candefine part or all of an interior surface 18 of the lid 11, and thesecond conductive layer 11 c can define part or all of an exteriorsurface 19 of the lid 11.

In contrast to the packaged integrated device 50 of FIGS. 3A-3B, thepackaged integrated device 60 includes locking features 61 for improvingadhesion of the package lid 11 to the package substrate 12. In theillustrated embodiment, the locking features 61 are formed by patterninga conductive layer to form a patterned conductive trace 14 in the regionof the package substrate 12 corresponding to the interface surface 30 ofthe package lid 11 to expose an underlying bonding layer 32 to theadhesive 23. In some embodiments, the adhesive 23 can have a relativelygreater bonding strength to the underlying bonding layer 32 than to theconductive trace 14 of which the locking features 61 are part. In somecases, the underlying bonding layer 32 is a nonconductive layer of thepackage substrate 12, such as a pre-impregnated composite materiallayer. By enabling bonding between the lid 11 and the bonding layer 32via a conductive adhesive (e.g., epoxy), the locking features 61 canthus improve lid adhesion while still permitting electrical contact forgrounding.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 4A-4C, the lid 11 is bonded to the packagesubstrate 12. The lid 11 may include a lip 31 that extends at theperimeter of the lid 11 to form the interface surface 30. As shown inFIGS. 4A-4C, the lid 11 may be positioned on the package substrate 12such that the lip 31 attaches to the package substrate 12 at the lid'sinterface surface 30 through both the patterned locking features 61(part of the trace 14) and the exposed bonding layer 32. The lip 31 ofthe lid 11 may be attached to the substrate 12 using an adhesive 23. Asnoted above, the adhesive 23 may be formed of any suitable adhesivematerial, although in some embodiments, as described above, a conductiveepoxy material may be desired to facilitate electrical connectionbetween the lid 11 and traces within the package substrate 12. Note thatthe dimensions of the lip 31 and locking features 61 are exaggerated forpurposes of illustration in FIGS. 4A-4C.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4A, the locking features 61 form azigzag or alternated pattern 62 (shown by dashed lines) at the perimeterof the lid 11 when viewed from above. However, persons of ordinary skillin the art will appreciate that other patterns are possible. As shown inFIG. 4A, the lip 31 of the lid 11 attaches to the patterned lockingfeatures 61 and the bonding layer 32 of the package substrate 12. Insome cases, the lip 31 of the lid 11 substantially covers the lockingfeatures 61. In other cases, the lip 31 may cover only a portion of thelocking features 61.

FIG. 4B shows a cross-section of FIG. 4A through one of the lockingfeatures 61, taken along lines 4B-4B in FIG. 4A. The package lid 11 isshown as including the first conductive layer 11 a, the core 11 b, andthe second conductive layer 11 c. In this embodiment, the packagesubstrate 12 includes the conductive trace 14 and bonding layer 32. Thebonding layer 32 can be a nonconductive layer, such as a pre-impregnatedcomposite material layer. The conductive trace 14 will generally defineother conductive features on the surface of the substrate 12, such as abond pad 63.

In some embodiments, therefore, adhesion between the lid 11 and thepackage substrate 12 may be enhanced by both the selection of the firstconductive layer 11 a and the design of the locking features 61alternating with exposed non-conductive or plastic regions of theunderlying bonding layer 32. In cases where the conductive trace 14 is ametal and where the adhesive 23 is electrically conductive, the lid 11may also be electrically connected to metal traces within the packagesubstrate 12. For some RF shielding applications, the conductive trace14 may desirably be electrically connected to ground to enhance RFshielding of the packaged integrated device 60.

FIG. 4C illustrates a cross-section of the packaged integrated device60, taken along lines 4C-4C of FIG. 4A. Unlike FIG. 4B, thiscross-section illustrates a section of the packaged integrated device 60that does not include a locking feature 61 at the perimeter of the lid11. As disclosed above, in some cases, it therefore may be desirable todirectly attach the lid 11 to the exposed portions of the bonding layer32 of the package substrate 12, particularly in areas of the packagesubstrate 12 where no locking features 61 are formed. A skilled artisanwill appreciate that adhesion may be improved by using the firstconductive layer 11 a and the alternately exposed bonding layer 32either alone or in combination with one another.

In some embodiments, the bonding layer 32 can be any suitablenonconductive or pre-impregnated composite material layer, including,for example, Bismaleimide-Triazine (BT) resin. Additionally, theconductive trace 14 can be any suitable conductive layer, including, forexample, copper, or copper plated with nickel and/or gold.

Providing the first conductive layer 11 a and the locking features 61can aid in increasing lid attachment strength, as was described above.However, as will be appreciated by the skilled artisan, both featuresneed not be included, and either feature can be employed individually toimprove lid attachment strength. In addition, as described in someembodiments above, the second conductive layer 11 c may also define theexterior surface 19 of the packaged integrated device 60. When thematerial for the second conductive layer 11 c is selected to enhance RFshielding, then the lid 11 may also offer improved RF shielding, inaddition to improved adhesion to the package substrate 12.

Turning to FIG. 5, a flowchart showing one example process for packagingan integrated device is provided. In Block 120, a package substrate isprovided. In some embodiments, the package substrate may be a PCB, butany other suitable package substrate may be used, including, forexample, leadframe-based substrates. Selected layers of the packagesubstrate may be optionally patterned to form locking features. Forinstance, the package substrate may include a conductive layer and abonding layer. The conductive layer can be patterned to expose thebonding layer, which may be configured to adhere strongly with a packagelid. The patterned area may form conductive locking features alternatedwith regions of exposed bonding layer on the package substrate, asdescribed in some embodiments above.

A die is attached to the package substrate in Block 122. The die may bean integrated circuit die, or in some embodiments, the die may be a MEMSdie. In further embodiments, the die may comprise a microphone die(e.g., a MEMS microphone die), as described above. In some embodiments,multiple dies are attached to the substrate, such as a MEMS die and anASIC for processing signals to or from the MEMS die. In Block 124, thedie is electrically connected to the package substrate. In some cases,this may be done using metal bonding wires, but other methods ofelectrical connection may be suitable.

In Block 126, a package lid is provided. In some embodiments, thepackage lid includes an interior surface that faces the interior of thepackaged device and an exterior surface that faces outside the package.A first coating selected to enhance bonding between the lid and anadhesive (such as a conductive epoxy) may define the interior surface ofthe lid. A second coating selected to enhance RF shielding may definethe exterior surface of the lid. FIGS. 2A-2E illustrate exampleprocesses for forming such a lid. In one embodiment, tin may be used todefine the exterior surface of the lid, while nickel may be used todefine the interior surface of the lid. Although Block 126 shows thatproviding a package lid may occur after providing a package substrate,attaching the die, and electrically connecting the die, in someembodiments, the package lid may be provided at any point in theprocess. The order illustrated in the flow chart of FIG. 5 isillustrative only, as the steps may be performed in any feasible order.

In Block 128, the lid is attached to the package substrate. As describedin above embodiments, the lid can be attached to the package substrateusing an adhesive, such as a conductive epoxy. In embodiments havinglocking features, the lid can also be attached to the package substrateby contacting the adhesive with locking features of the packagesubstrate. In some cases, the adhesive alternately contacts the lockingfeatures and exposed portions of the bonding layer of the packagesubstrate.

Applications

Devices employing the above described schemes can be implemented intovarious electronic devices. Examples of the electronic devices caninclude, but are not limited to, consumer electronic products, parts ofthe consumer electronic products, electronic test equipment, etc.Examples of the electronic devices can also include memory chips, memorymodules, circuits of optical networks or other communication networks,and disk driver circuits. The consumer electronic products can include,but are not limited to, a mobile phone, a telephone, a television, acomputer monitor, a computer, a hand-held computer, a personal digitalassistant (PDA), a microwave, a refrigerator, an automobile, a stereosystem, a cassette recorder or player, a DVD player, a CD player, a VCR,an MP3 player, a radio, a camcorder, a camera, a digital camera, aportable memory chip, a washer, a dryer, a washer/dryer, a copier, afacsimile machine, a scanner, a multi functional peripheral device, awrist watch, a clock, etc. Further, the electronic device can includeunfinished products.

Although this invention has been disclosed in the context of certainpreferred embodiments and examples, it will be understood by thoseskilled in the art that the present invention extends beyond thespecifically disclosed embodiments to other alternative embodimentsand/or uses of the invention and obvious modifications and equivalentsthereof. In addition, while several variations of the invention havebeen shown and described in detail, other modifications, which arewithin the scope of this invention, will be readily apparent to those ofskill in the art based upon this disclosure. It is also contemplatedthat various combinations or sub-combinations of the specific featuresand aspects of the embodiments may be made and still fall within thescope of the invention. It should be understood that various featuresand aspects of the disclosed embodiments can be combined with, orsubstituted for, one another in order to form varying modes of thedisclosed invention. Thus, it is intended that the scope of the presentinvention herein disclosed should not be limited by the particulardisclosed embodiments described above, but should be determined only bya fair reading of the claims that follow.

1. (canceled)
 2. A packaged integrated device comprising: a packagesubstrate; a package lid attached to a top surface of the packagesubstrate with an adhesive, the package lid and the package substratedefining a package interior, the package lid including a lip extendingfrom a perimeter of the package lid; a three-dimensional locking featureformed in the top surface of the package substrate to enhance theattachment of the package lid to the package substrate, the lip of thepackage lid coupled with the three-dimensional locking feature such thatat least a portion of the adhesive is disposed between the lip and thelocking feature; and an integrated device die mounted within the packageinterior.
 3. The packaged integrated device of claim 2, wherein thethree-dimensional locking feature comprises at least two planar surfacesof the package substrate, the at least two planar surfaces offset fromone another in a direction perpendicular to the top surface of thepackage substrate.
 4. The packaged integrated device of claim 3, whereinat least a portion of the lip of the package lid is attached to at leastone of the at least two planar surfaces of the package substrate by theadhesive.
 5. The packaged integrated device of claim 2, wherein thepackage substrate includes a nonconductive layer and a conductive tracedisposed on the nonconductive layer.
 6. The packaged integrated deviceof claim 5, wherein the package lid is mounted to portions of both theconductive trace and the nonconductive layer using the adhesive.
 7. Thepackaged integrated device of claim 5, wherein the lip of the packagelid includes an interface surface for mounting the package lid to thepackage substrate using the adhesive, and wherein the conductive traceis patterned to alternately expose portions of the nonconductive layerand the conductive trace to the adhesive around an annular patterncorresponding to the interface surface.
 8. The packaged integrateddevice of claim 2, wherein the adhesive comprises an epoxy.
 9. Thepackaged integrated device of claim 2, wherein the package lid includesa first conductive layer, a second conductive layer and a core disposedbetween the first and second conductive layers, wherein the firstconductive layer defines a first surface of the package lid facing thepackage interior, and wherein the second conductive layer defines asecond surface of the package lid opposite the first surface, andwherein a portion of the first conductive layer contacts the adhesive.10. The packaged integrated device of claim 9, wherein the secondconductive layer has a radio frequency conductivity less than that ofthe first conductive layer.
 11. The packaged integrated device of claim9, wherein the first conductive layer has an attachment strength to theadhesive which is greater than that of the second conductive layer. 12.The packaged integrated device of claim 9, wherein the second conductivelayer comprises tin (Sn) and the first conductive layer comprises nickel(Ni).
 13. The packaged integrated device of claim 9, wherein the firstconductive layer comprises a metal selected from group consisting ofnickel (Ni), silver (Ag), gold (Au), and copper (Cu).
 14. The packagedintegrated device of claim 9, wherein the second conductive layercomprises a metal selected from the group consisting of tin (Sn), silver(Ag), gold (Au), and copper (Cu).
 15. The packaged integrated device ofclaim 9, wherein the core comprises at least one of stainless steel,copper (Cu), aluminum (Al) and a liquid crystal polymer (LCP).
 16. Thepackaged integrated device of claim 2, wherein the integrated device dieis a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device die.
 17. The packagedintegrated device of claim 2, wherein the integrated device die is amicrophone device die.
 18. The packaged integrated device of claim 2,wherein the package lid is shaped to define a concavity.
 19. A packagedintegrated device comprising: a package substrate comprising anonconductive layer and a conductive layer, the package substratepatterned such that the nonconductive layer and the conductive layer arealternately exposed at a top surface of the package substrate; a packagelid attached to the top surface of the package substrate with anadhesive, the package lid and the package substrate defining a packageinterior, the package lid including a lip extending from a perimeter ofthe package lid, the lip attached with the adhesive to the alternatelyexposed nonconductive and conductive layers at the top surface of thepackage substrate; and an integrated device die mounted within thepackage interior.
 20. The packaged integrated device of claim 19,wherein the package lid includes a first conductive layer, a secondconductive layer and a core disposed between the first and secondconductive layers, wherein the first conductive layer defines a firstsurface of the package lid facing the package interior, and wherein thesecond conductive layer defines a second surface of the package lidopposite the first surface, and wherein a portion of the firstconductive layer contacts the adhesive.
 21. The packaged integrateddevice of claim 19, wherein the exposed nonconductive layer and theexposed conductive layer are offset from one another in a directionperpendicular to the top surface of the package substrate.